The Daily Bible Readings for SATURDAY, October 10, 2020

The Daily Readings

SATURDAY, October 10, 2020

Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23; Exodus 24:12-18; Mark 2:18-22

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:

Proverbs 19:20-21

Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.

The heart of man is deep, and it entertains many thoughts. But these thoughts are useless and harmful unless they are grounded in the counsel of the Lord. This counsel is the truth of Wisdom and His virtues. One grounded in this counsel will abide forever. (Orthodox Study Bible)

Today’s Readings:

Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23

God’s favor for the people

1 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise?

3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

4 Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;

5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.

19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.

20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.

21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;

22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

Commentary
None of our sins or sufferings should prevent our ascribing glory and praise to the Lord. The more unworthy we are, the more is his kindness to be admired. And those who depend on the Redeemer's righteousness will endeavor to copy his example, and by word and deed to show forth his praise. God's people have reason to be cheerful people and need not envy the children of men their pleasure or pride. Here begins a confession of sin; for we must acknowledge that the Lord has done right, and we have done wickedly. Often have we set up idols in our hearts, cleaved to some forbidden object; so that if a greater than Moses had not stood to turn away the anger of the Lord, we should have been destroyed.

Exodus 24:12-18

Moses on the mountain forty days

24:12 And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.

14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.

15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.

16 And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17 And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

Commentary
A cloud covered the mount six days; a token of God's special presence there. Moses was sure that he who called him up would protect him. Even those glorious attributes of God which are most terrible to the wicked, the saints with humble reverence rejoice in. And through faith in the atoning Sacrifice, we hope for greater honour than Moses ever enjoyed on earth. Now we see through a glass darkly, but when he shall appear, then face to face. This vision of God will continue with equal, if not increasing brightness of joy; not for a few days only, but through eternity.

Mark 2:18-22

No fasting when the bridegroom is present

2:18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.

22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

Commentary
Strict professors are apt to blame all that do not fully come up to their own views. Christ did not escape slanders; we should be willing to bear them, as well as careful not to deserve them; but should attend to every part of our duty in its proper order and season.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

Commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible.

The Daily Bible Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2020, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2019 was Year C. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Readings for SATURDAY, October 10, 2020
Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23; Exodus 24:12-18; Mark 2:18-22 (KJV)

Prayer of the Day for SATURDAY, October 10, 2020

Prayer of the Day
SATURDAY, October 10, 2020

...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.

— Romans 3:23–25a (NIV)

Lord our God, we praise your name because you have set up a mercy seat on earth, because you forgive our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. May your mercy be seen at work in many hearts. Shed your light upon all people, and let your glory be known. Let your glory shine in all hearts, to the praise of your name and the deliverance of those who are still in misery. Keep us in your Word, which works miracles. Protect in us all that Jesus Christ has brought to the earth, and may we use his gifts in simplicity of heart. Grant that much may be accomplished to the glory of your name and that we may draw nearer to the day of Jesus Christ, for which we wait in hope and longing. Amen.

Verse of the Day for SATURDAY, October 10, 2020

Proverbs 19:20-21

Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.

Read all of Proverbs 19

Listen to Proverbs 19

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Ichthus Ministries Daily Devotions — All We'll Ever Need

 

All We'll Ever Need

And He (Jesus) said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

— Luke 12:15

Jesus had a huge heart for people in need, but He did not confuse human needs with human greed. Never did He imagine that something becomes a true necessity just because some people say so. For instance, how many phones, tablets, apps, pairs of shoes, or changes of clothing does it take to meet life's bare necessities, and without which you cannot live comfortably? The answer to that question will tell us a lot about ourselves.

To be sure, many among us do without life's bare necessities, and this is a tragedy in any society. For them living is a constant struggle of never having enough of just getting by. Yet, while those who have little often dream of the material goods that seem beyond their reach, they too need to be on guard "against all covetousness."

John the apostle tells us that Jesus Christ knew what was in man and was totally aware of what life is all about. Indeed, in Him was life and that life was-and is-the light of men (see John 1:1-4). As the Son of God, our Lord respected the creation, the material creation of God. He used material things wherever it suited Him. His love, however, was for people.

Out of love for people, and despite their willful transgression against the will of His Father and their rebellious refusal to live as His sons and daughters, He willingly became a Man. He gave His life that all men everywhere might be forgiven every sin they've committed—that they might enjoy life to the full again—regardless of their state of material possession.

Naturally, there is nothing wrong with working hard and making money in the employment of the gifts God has given you. But don't set your heart on the things your money can buy. Instead, with everything that is in you, work hard at being the man or woman, the boy or girl, God wants you to be. That's real life, depending in no way on the number of your possessions.

Pray hard, too, that God will make you the man or woman, the boy or girl, who earnestly desires the fruits of His righteousness. That's real life, depending in no way on the number of your possessions. This is the life Jesus wants us to know—one that draws its strength and contentment from Him.

By faith in Christ as your Lord and Savior, know that you have everything you need. As the apostle Paul writes, "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:12-13).

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us everything we need: Jesus. In His Name. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Oswald Hoffmann

Reflection Questions:

1. What would you say is the difference between a necessity and luxury?

2. How can we resist the urge to keep filling our lives with material things?

3. Many things take our attention off God. How do you maintain focus?

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Jesus had a huge heart for people in need, but He did not confuse human needs with human greed.

Standing Strong Through the Storm — GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE OR FORSAKE US

GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE OR FORSAKE US

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

— Deuteronomy 31:6

“When I was pregnant with our sixth child,” says Bahar from Central Asia, “my husband Bahtiyar fell ill and was diagnosed with stomach cancer. We often prayed for his healing and together with the few other believers in our village we looked to God for His help. Bahtiyar was also seeing a doctor, but not much could be done for him.

“Shortly before Bahtiyar’s death several men from the village mosque came to our house and talked to him. They knew he had been a Muslim before and had become a Christian. Now, when he was so ill, they started debating with him and urged him to return to Islam, promising that they would give him a decent burial. Bahtiyar did not have to think about it at all; he refused to deny Jesus and sent the men away.

“He was with us for three more days; then he passed away and went to be with the Lord. It is our custom to bury our dead on the same day, so when my son went to the other believers in the village and told them that his dad had died they arrived immediately to arrange his funeral. They and other Christians from a nearby town did everything that needed to be done and really took good care of us as a family. According to our tradition, Bahtiyar’s body was put in a yurt so people could pay their respects.

“As we lived in a small village the news that Bahtiyar had died was out in no time and it did not take long before the Mullah and many men from the village came to the yurt and started to shout at the believers. “You can’t bury him here in our cemetery, we don’t want him here! This man has left our religion, he has betrayed us, and we don’t want him to defile our cemetery. Find another place!” They were really angry and even threatened to burn our house and the yurt with Bahtiyar’s body. The believers called the police but it took a while before they arrived. Meantime they moved his body to Kisul, another village nearby.

“For a while, I was completely confused and did not know what to do. Was God still in control? Was He watching over us as a family, over me? Here I was, pregnant with my sixth child, my husband had just died, we had so many problems burying him and the whole village, including my own mother in law, was against us. Where and how were we going to live?

“God has promised in His Word that He will never leave us, nor forsake us, and He never does. For a brief period, I thought that God had left me, but fortunately, that did not last long. Soon God reassured me of His presence, I rediscovered my joy in God and I trust that He is in control, even though things in our family have been very difficult this last year.

RESPONSE: Today I will rejoice in God’s reassurance of His presence and control of all things in my life.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, that You are concerned about the smallest details of my life regardless of the circumstances.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
“When I was pregnant with our sixth child,” says Bahar from Central Asia, “my husband Bahtiyar fell ill and was diagnosed with stomach cancer. We often prayed for his healing and together with the few other believers in our village we looked to God for His help. Bahtiyar was also seeing a doctor, but not much could be done for him.

The NIV Couples Devotional — Making Peace With Each Other

Making Peace With Each Other

Exodus 4:24–26

But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.

— Exodus 4:25

Zipporah performed hasty surgery on her son when she realized God was about to kill her husband, Moses. While it isn’t stated, evidently God was about to destroy Moses because he had failed to circumcise his son. Zipporah took the situation into her own hands, completing the act of obedience Moses had neglected to do.

But there seems to be an air of resentment in her abrupt actions. Perhaps she was angry at her husband for shirking his fatherly duties. Or maybe Zipporah resented having to perform a spiritual rite she herself didn’t believe in.

Whatever the details of a disagreement, resulting feelings can drive a wedge between spouses. Resentment can lead to barbed words, sarcastic comments, and actions that undercut one another. For example, children came early in our marriage. I used to get so angry when Dan would nudge me to get out of bed in the middle of the night because the baby was crying. Both Dan and I desperately needed sleep, but I resented the assumption that it was my responsibility to get up with the baby. Lack of sleep, combined with my expectation that Dan share in the 3:00 a.m. feedings, fueled resentment in me. In a huff, I would perform my motherly duties, seething silently as Dan snored and I rocked a cranky baby. It didn’t take too many sleepless nights like that before we had built walls of anger between us.

When you notice resentment creeping in or a disagreement escalating in your relationship, admit your anger and call an immediate cease-fire. Take some advice from marriage counselor Scott M. Stanley (Marriage Partnership, Fall 1995). Agree on a specific time when you can talk. Then sit down together and use a small object, such as a pen, to indicate who has the floor. The person holding the pen is the speaker. When the pen changes hands, the roles change. The speaker’s job is to get his or her point across. The listener’s job is to absorb information and give feedback by paraphrasing what the other has just said.

While this approach feels somewhat artificial, it greatly enhances communication by slowing things down and emphasizing listening and working together. It helps you, as James 1:19 says, to be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” It’s a great tool for aiding interaction and understanding. And it helps to ensure that resentments don’t fester or turn into full-blown arguments.

When you sense resentment growing within you, ask yourself what expectations you have of your spouse, particularly in a situation that’s brewing trouble between you. Very often, resentment grows from unmet expectations. Zipporah expected something from Moses. I expected something from Dan. Recognizing what your expectations are is the first step toward resolving resentment.

Marian V. Liautaud

Let’s Talk

• Is there some area of our marriage in which we feel that one of us has unmet expectations? Let’s talk about some of those expectations.
• When one of us gets angry, do our arguments quickly get out of hand? How can we put a stop to that pattern?
• Let’s try a pen-passing conversation on a non-threatening topic. How does that approach differ from the way we usually try to resolve a problem? In what ways could this approach help?

Zipporah performed hasty surgery on her son when she realized God was about to kill her husband.

John Piper Devotional — Best Passage Ever

Best Passage Ever

God put [Jesus] forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

— Romans 3:25–26

Romans 3:25–26 may be the most important verses in the Bible.

God is wholly just! And He justifies the ungodly!

Not either/or! Both! He acquits the guilty, but is not guilty in doing so. This is the greatest news in the world!

• “[God] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
• “By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3).
• “[Christ] bore our sins in his body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).
• “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).
• “If we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5).

If the most terrifying news in the world is that we have fallen under the condemnation of our Creator and that he is bound by his own righteous character to preserve the worth of his glory by pouring out his wrath on our sin…

…Then the best news in all the world (the gospel!) is that God has decreed a way of salvation that also upholds the worth of his glory, the honor of his Son, and the eternal salvation of his elect. He has given his Son to die for sinners and to conquer their death by his own resurrection.
Romans 3:25–26 may be the most important verses in the Bible.

Un dia a la Vez — ¿Qué reflejamos?

¿Qué reflejamos?

Todos nosotros, que con el rostro descubierto reflejamos como en un espejo la gloria del Señor, somos transformados a su semejanza con más y más gloria.

— 2 Corintios 3:18

¿Podemos decir que reflejamos a Jesús? Me gustaría mucho decir que reflejo a Jesús al cien por cien, pero sería una enorme desfachatez de mi parte. Estoy muy llena de defectos y debilidades que no sería justa con mi Dios. Sin embargo, su anhelo es que alcancemos la estatura del varón perfecto, ¡pero cuán lejos estamos de esto!

Nuestro Padre dice en su Palabra que nos hizo a su imagen y semejanza, pero hemos distorsionado ese concepto con el pecado. Así que me enternece mucho cuando en el Manual de Instrucciones dice que Él nos ve después del perdón de nuestros pecados limpios y sin manchas. De ahí que cada uno de nosotros deba reflexionar de manera individual, y desde el punto de vista espiritual, la clase de espejo que somos y lo que reflejamos.

¿Está nuestro espejo opaco y por más que le echas los mejores líquidos limpiadores siempre se ve opaco? ¿Está nuestro espejo tan manchado que aunque lo limpies le sigues viendo la mancha? ¿O está nuestro espejo roto y no lo limpias porque sabes que se ve deteriorado y feo?

En este día quiero que recuerdes que aunque tu vida esté opaca por tu pasado, manchada por el pecado o rota, porque crees que ya no tiene valor, hoy Jesucristo te dice que Él murió por ti para limpiar y restaurar tu vida y que ya nunca más serás el mismo. Por eso, Jesús te da la oportunidad de un nuevo comienzo a fin de que seas reflejo de su amor.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
¿Podemos decir que reflejamos a Jesús?

Хліб Наш Насущній — Битва з драконами

Битва з драконами

Читати: Колосян 2:9-15 | Біблія за рік: Ісаї 34–36 ; Колосян 2

Завантажити MP3

Роззброївши влади й начальства, сміливо їх вивів на посміховисько, – перемігши їх на хресті.

— Колосян 2:15

Ви коли-небудь билися з драконом? Якщо ваша відповідь “ні”, то автор Юджін Петерсон з вами не погодиться. У книзі “Тривала покірність в одному напрямку” він написав: “Дракони є проекцією наших страхів, усього страшного, що може причинити нам біль… У пересічної людини, якій протистоїть великий дракон, немає жодних шансів”. Що має на увазі Петерсон? Життя сповнене драконів: небезпечні хвороби, раптова втрата роботи, невдалий шлюб, очужілий блудний син. Ці “дракони” є надвеликими небезпеками і життєвими труднощами, з якими ми нездатні впоратися самостійно.

Втім у цих битвах у нас є Захисник. Не казковий захисник, а Захисник, Який заради нас воював і переміг драконів, які намагаються нас знищити. Якими б не були дракони – нашими невдачами чи духовним ворогом, який прагне нашого знищення, – наш Захисник сильніший, бо Він, за словами апостола Павла, “роззброївши влади й начальства, сміливо їх вивів на посміховисько, – перемігши їх на хресті” (Кол. 2:15). З Ним не зрівняються жодні руйнівні сили цього грішного світу!

Мить, у яку ми усвідомлюємо, що життєві дракони надвеликі для нас, є миттю, коли можна покластися на порятунок Христа. І можна з впевненістю сказати: “Богові дяка, що Він Господом нашим Ісусом Христом перемогу нам дав” (1 Кор. 15:57).

Яких “драконів” ви зустрічаєте в житті? Як хресна перемога Христа може вас підбадьорити у війні з ними?

Отче, дякую, що Ти сильніший за сьогоднішні загрози. Даруй мені мудрості та сили слідувати за Тобою, покладаючись на Твою благодать.

Автор Білл Краудер

© 2020 Хліб Наш Насущні
Ви коли-небудь билися з драконом? Якщо ваша відповідь “ні”, то автор Юджін Петерсон з вами не погодиться.